½ Dollar (Columbus)

The 1992 Columbus Half Dollar: a coin for the 500th year

In 1992, exactly five centuries after Columbus first sighted land in the Americas, the United States struck a half dollar to mark the moment. Few people ever spent one — it was sold straight to collectors, with a dollar from each sale earmarked for a foundation. The result is a modern commemorative that's common in name but quietly scarce in the metal.